28th June 1998 : MER tram cars 19 and 42 at Ramsey.
The Manx Electric Railway operates between Derby Castle (Douglas) and Ramsey in the north of the island. During this week most services consisted of a powered tram towing an open "toastrack" trailer vehicle. The week was not so warm and it was quite a bracing ride in the open trailer cars!
28th June 1998 : GGR's "Sea Lion" at Sea Lion Rocks.
The Groudle Glen Railway is a volunteer operated line which runs between Groudle (Lehn Coan station) and Seal Lion Rocks - a very exposed clifftop that was once the site of a zoo! During our stay the line operated twice - on the Sunday afternoon and Wednesday evening. This railway is a "must do" for any visitor to the Island.
28th June 1998 : Horse tram car 35 and "Andrew" at Sea Terminal (Douglas).
The Douglas Horse Tram runs along the town's promenade between Sea Terminal and Derby Castle (the terminus for the MER tram line). Here horse "Andrew" is prepared for the journey to Derby Castle.
29th June 1998 : Manx Northern Railway No. 4 "Caledonia" at Douglas station.
The Isle of Man Railway runs south from Douglas to Port Erin and the services are operated using steam locomotives built between 1873 and 1926. Here we see 1885 built No. 15 "Caledonia" (numbered and liveried as former Manx Northern Railway No. 4). Behind can be seen one of the lines two tiny Simplex diesel shunters.
29th June 1998 : Isle of Man Railway No. 10 "G H Wood" at Douglas station.
1905 Beyer Peacock built No. 10 "G H Wood" waits to leave Douglas with the 1010 departure to Port Erin.
29th June 1998 : Isle of Man Railway No. 1 "Sutherland" at Port Soderick station.
A study of light and shade. Newly restored 1885 built No. 1 "Sutherland" pauses at Port Soderick on a demonstration freight train. This is the oldest steam locomotive on the island.
29th June 1998 : IMR No. 1 "Sutherland" & 11 "Maitland" Port Erin station.
The 1615 departure to Douglas is seen with numbers 1 and 11 at the head. Normally four coach formations, this train was also strengthened to 8 carriages. This advertised double-header proved very popular and the train was full on departure.
30th June 1998 : MER trams 1 and 2 at Derby Castle.
MER's oldest tram cars (1 & 2) date from 1893. The pair are seen here at Derby Castle before departing together to Laxey. The pair were scheduled to run side-by-side as far as Groudle station. Both these trams have a very alarming feature - at speed the bodywork creaks and sways a few inches from side to side. It really does feel as if the bodywork is about to become detached from the chassis!
30th June 1998 : Snaefell Mountain Railway tram No. 4 en-route to the summit.
SMR tram no.4 (disguised as "Martin the mountain tram"!) pauses on for a photo-stop en-route from Laxey to Bungalow, the lines only intermediate station. On this occasion the visability at the summit (2036 feet) was about two tram-lengths!
1st July 1998 : SMR tram No. 3 at Snaefell summit station.
In significantly better weather than my first trip to the summit, tram No.3 is seen with Laxey in the background.
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